Emergency gear extension spline clutch headaches

[Discus]

Howdy again all,

 

I am in the process of pulling my first annual on my E model.  Once I got it up on the jacks, I found that the emergency gear extension would not work due to improperly rigged system. Pulled the gear motor assembly off, and sure 'nuff, the spline coupler that engages the emergency system was FUBAR due to barely riding on the end of the motor shaft.   So,

Step 1. Kick my own butt repeatedly for not buying an early Mooney with a J bar

Step 2. Shake my head at how fragile this electric gear system really is

Step 3. Call LASAR

The awesome folks there had a spline in stock, so I bought and installed it.  While putting things back together, I could not get the cable from the cockpit to seat into the spline. Pulled the clutch back apart, and found that the coupler has something wrong internally (burns perhaps?) where it will not fit correctly over the splines of the cable or motor end of the mechanism (very tight fit, and stops before engaging fully) The un-buggered end of the old coupler fits just fine and appear un damaged on inspection so I know that both my cable ends and my motor ends of the system are good.  The question comes: has anyone else had trouble with this?  Do you think that this coupler has a minor manufacturing defect, or am I doing something wrong here?  Any advice from experience would be appreciated! 

[tony]

I'd give Dan a call at LASAR.  They rebuilt mine.  Put the 40:1 gear in at the same time.  

[Ron McBride]

Talk to Dan at LASAR.    Put the 40:1 gears in it.    The electric system when it is working properly, works great.    You must have someone that is very Mooney familiar rebuild it and adjust it correctly.   Tom and Top Gun replaced the gears in mine.   There is a continuing AD note on the motor to lube and inspect the gears.    Has your new to you been maintained correctly?  Again, remember, you are dealing with a 40+ year old plane.

Ron

[carusoam]

1) I've never heard of such a thing... 

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?&q=Emergency Landing gear&item=23334&sortby=relevancy

 

2) I don't know anybody that had this problem...

 

3) Aside of all the facetiousness...  Andrew took a whole bunch of photos and probably used the word 'buggered' to describe it.

 

4) Somebody engineered a brass gear in there for some reason...

 

5) The reason it gets buggered up is the manual system gets partially engaged by somebody, then the gear gets operated.  Don't let that happen.  It is a line item in many Mooney check lists. Often passenger feet are responsible for the un-stowed handle...

 

6) Fortunately, you have found your situation while there is time to do something...

 

7) PPIs are pretty good at ferreting this situation out prior to purchase..

 

8) The sun will continue to shine....

 

Any questions left?

Best regards,

-a-

[Yetti]

May need to clean and regrease the Emergency Disconnet.   It is spring loaded to engage

 

[Discus]

Got it figured out.  Cleaned up the old spline, re greased and re installed. Will send the new one back to LASAR tomorrow. Now to get the gear rigging re done and I think I will be done with the painful first annual!

As a side note, when I pulled the yokes off to do the 500 hour AD on my 1,500 hour airplane there was no evidence that a dye penetrant inspection had ever been done.  Wonder how many like that are out there, pencil whipped? 

 

Edit:  thanks to everyone who added their inputs!  Love this group!

Edited July 31, 2017 by Discus

[MB65E]

Common issue. I have my handle lock wired in the stowed position with brakeable safety wire. I have about 250 hrs or so on my rebuilt gear motor from Lasar. with the 40:1 gears. Hopefully next time I have it out it will be in good shape.

-Matt